Game Informer

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The new season of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is here, and with it comes a plethora of new maps, weapons, and changes to both Warzone and the main multiplayer suite. Join Dan Tack, Leo Vader, Andrew Reiner, and me as we test out the new four-person squads and the rest of the additions in COD's battle royale.

We went live earlier but you can watch the full archive above! If you can't get enough of our live shows, remember to subscribe on YouTube, Twitch,Mixer, Twitter, and Facebook to get notified when we go live each week! Thanks and enjoy the show!

Several months ago Google launched Stadia to lackluster fanfare. In our experience, the underlying technology is promising, but the lack of unique features and must-play games really hurts the platform. Google is slowly updating Stadia, so that may be changing. If you're curious to try game streaming yourself, you can now sign up for a free two-month test run of Stadia Pro. 

Stadia Pro members get assess to nine games for free, including Grid, Destiny 2: The Collection, Thumper, Gylt, Serious Sam Collection, Spitlings, Stacks on Stacks (on Stacks), SteamWorld Dig 2, and SteamWorld Quest. Personally, I recommend checking out Thumper and the SteamWorld games if you never played them. Hopefully, this helps your quarantine run a little smoother.

This is the roll out of the free tier for Stadia that Google has promised since last year, and its nice to see that members will get a free two months of Stadia Pro, which normally costs $9.99 a month and includes a selection of free games as well as the highest quality streams. Thankfully, you get to keep any of the purchases you make during this free trial, and if you're already a paid Stadia Pro subscriber, you won’t be charged for the next two months. 

Season 3 hits Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Warzone today on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Perhaps the biggest highlight is that you can now play with 4 players in Warzone (up from 3), so grab another friend to get started on that new season battlepass in some battle royale action. But Modern Warfare is getting plenty of new things too, including 3 new maps - Talsik Backlot, Hovec Sawmill, and Aniyah Incursion.

A brand new battle pass contains another 100 tiers to get through and contains a boatload of cosmetics and other fun things to unlock. Check out the trailer below!

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Each time we hear more about Disintegration, the debut title from V1 Interactive, it's always centered on the multiplayer component. Despite this fact, Disintegration started as a single-player title. After months of wondering about how the single-player campaign plays out, I finally had a chance to see it in action and learn all about the campaign.

Grounded, the next title from Obsidian Entertainment, is coming to the Xbox Game Preview program and Steam Early Access starting July 28. Not only that, but those who subscribe to Xbox Game Pass get access to the title through the Xbox Game Preview program.

Grounded is a survival game that appears to draw heavy inspiration from Honey, I Shrunk the Kids! You're a suburban kid who wakes up one day and realizes you've shrunk to the size of an ant. You join up to three friends to explore and survive in a surprisingly treacherous landscape. To do this, you need to juke killer ants, flying insects, and spiders while gathering supplies to craft and build.

The full version is expected to launch at some point in 2020. For more on Grounded, check out our preview.

Sony has introduced its PlayStation 5 DualSense wireless controller. It's an evolution on the classic PlayStation controller form we've seen over previous generations, with some new features.

The controller is slightly lighter, and Hideaki Nishino, Sony senior vice president, platform planning and management, says the company wanted to "maintain a strong battery life" for the rechargeable controller.

"Based on our discussions with developers," Nishino said, "we concluded that the sense of touch within gameplay, much like audio, hasn’t been a big focus for many games." Accordingly, the controller uses haptic feedback and has trigger tension. Overall, the angle of the hand triggers and the grip of the controller is different from previous ones. Nishino says the company tested the controller's ergonomics with players of varying hand sizes, and wanted it to "feel smaller than it really looks."

In other changes, the Share button has been replaced by the Create button. The Share functionality is still there, but is being added on to, with more in-depth details regarding the Create button coming later.

Like the PlayStation 5 itself, audio is also a point of emphasis with the DualSense controller. It features a built-in mic for game chat, although chat via a headset is still possible.

You can play a game within a game starting today. Inside Borderlands 3, there is a new experience - Borderlands Science. Essentially, what this does is let you play a game and it helps out science. At the same time!

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Specifically, playing the game helps out researchers putting together actual scientific applications by utilizing date harnessed from mapping microbes. Pretty wild, hunh? The experience is rooted within gut microbes and DNA and all kinds of cool stuff. What it all amounts to is that you're playing a game and solving puzzles, which helps map the human gut microbiome. Oh, and you also earn rewards for Borderlands 3 by playing/contributing!

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Have you ever wished someone would make Counter Strike: Global Offensive? It's such a great concept for a game, I can't believe no one has made it yet. Well, wait no longer, because Valorant is here!

The game is in closed beta today, and we're showing off what we can of the character-driven shooter. The stream starts at 1 PM Central, and remember to subscribe on YouTube, Twitch, Mixer, Twitter, and Facebook to get notified when we go live! Thanks and enjoy the show!

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Experience Mario in a new way this August – Lego and Nintendo have announced details about the Lego Super Mario line, including starter and expansion sets (all available on August 1st). The Adventures with Mario starter set can be pre-ordered on the Lego website now for $59.99.

The re-configurable starter set features extra functionality including Mario's ability to collect virtual coins, emit sounds and make facial expressions, and more.

The starter set connects to sold-separately expansions, including the Piranha Plant Power Slide ($29.99) and Bowser's Castle Boss Battle ($99.99) sets. According to Lego, the starter set is required to "unlock" the expansions.

[Source: Lego]

No Man's Sky has continued to update post release with numerous patches and content drops. Starting today, the Exo Mech Update allows players to pilot the Minotaur Exocraft (a suit/exocraft hybrid) complete with shields and defenses to handle hostile environments. Plow through extreme temperatures, radiation, and more.

You have a jetpack on your craft as well, allowing you to blast through the air at high speeds. Along with the mech, there are a multitude of other tweaks in this update as well, you can check them out at the official site here. Oh, and check out this spiffy new trailer showcasing the new mechs!

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Announced last month by The Messenger developer Sabotage, Sea of Stars draws heavy inspiration from retro role-playing games like Illusion of Gaia and Breath of Fire. However, perhaps the biggest inspiration for the studio in creating Sea of Stars is Chrono Trigger. Now, that DNA is even more ingrained, as the legendary composer behind Chrono Trigger, Yasunori Mitsuda, is contributing music to the soundtrack, joining Sea of Stars and The Messenger composer Eric W. Brown.

"Without knowing exactly why, 'I want to write music for this game' was the feeling I had while seeing it convey the nostalgic golden age of the '90s," Mitsuda said in a press release. "Although there are still many games being released with this classic style, I don't think players are satisfied with just nostalgia. As seen in their previous game, by adding new systems and ideas to classic formulas, Sabotage Studios breathes fresh, new air into their work."

Fans have had many questions about Final Fantasy VII Remake during its years of development, and when the game releases later this week, they will finally have all the answers. In the meantime, two of the biggest things people are wondering about involve what happens after the credits roll: Does Final Fantasy VII Remake have a new game plus, and does it have any post-game content to pursue? The game addresses both of those concerns with a single clever stroke – but in short, the answer on both fronts is “yes."

Warning: Even though it doesn't spoil any plot points, this article does discuss the flow of the game after completing the main story. 

You won’t see a new game plus option on the title screen, but the concept remains intact. After you finish the game, you unlock a feature that lets you jump to the beginning of any chapter while keeping all of your end-game progress (including levels, inventory, materia, and money). So, if you want new game plus, just select Chapter 1 (that's how I got the image above, with Cloud using a mid-game weapon in the first area). You’ll start at the beginning with your powerful characters and gear, and since the chapters continue flowing seamlessly into each other, you won’t have to manually select the next one to keep playing.

The Call of Duty League has shifted away from live events (as has the majority of the world) as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the competitive league is planning to carry on, but with a focus and shift toward a completely online production. Players can tune in to watch all the action beginning April 10 at https://www.youtube.com/CODLeague.

Esports events draw huge crowds and ignite local gaming communities, so we'll have to see how Call of Duty League (and many other big esports-oriented titles) adapts to our rapidly changing world..

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23 years ago, the world was introduced to Cloud, Aerith, and the metropolis of Midgar. The video game world was never the same, as the original Final Fantasy VII set a new bar for what a virtual experience could achieve. Flash forward to today and Square Enix is looking to recapture that magic with its long-awaited remake of the seminal classic. But does it deliver?

The good news is that while it may not be a perfect game, Final Fantasy VII Remake recreates the magic of the original with smart and engaging changes to the already successful formula. Join us as we take a deeper look at the blistering combat, gorgeous scenery, and wonderful writing of Joe Juba in our newest video review.

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Gamers looking for an irreverent and fun open-world experience can look forward to Saints Row: The Third Remastered on May 22 (PS4, Xbox One, and PC) – nine years after the original came out on last-gen consoles.

The Remaster naturally upgrades the look of the entire title to current-gen standards, but it also goes a step further to deliver that same touch (courtesy of developer Sperasoft) to all of the game's extra content. This means Remastered contains all of the title's expansion packs as well as other pieces of DLC.

For more on the game, check out our review of the original.

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The remake to one of the greatest RPGs of all time is less than a week away, and we have good news for fans of the iconic series. While not perfect, Final Fantasy VII Remake capitalizes on the majority of its new additions and cements its place as a title that stands on its own, according to our own Joe Juba. 

Speaking of Joe, he and the wonderful Kimberley Wallace join me to take a deep dive into how Square Enix's remake expands on the world and combat of the 1997 original. While we stay away from story spoilers as much as we can, we do show sequences from a few hours into the game so if you want to go in not seeing anything, now is your chance.

If you can't wait to dive back into Midgar, you don't have much longer, as Final Fantasy VII Remake releases exclusively on PlayStation 4 on Friday, April 10.

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As the COVID-19 pandemic pushes into spring, some of the biggest movies and games that were slated to release in the next couple of months are being pushed back. Yesterday brought the indefinite delays of The Last of Us Part II and Iron Man VR, and Disney today announced a shift for roughly a dozen films, many of which are the next entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Black Widow, which was originally going to release next month on May 1, has been delayed until November 6. This was the release date Disney had set for The Eternals, which is now slated for February 12, 2021. Following that, Disney has announced Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is coming on May 7, 2021, followed by Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on November 5, 2021, Thor: Love and Thunder on February 18, 2022, Black Panther 2 on May 6, 2022, and Captain Marvel 2 on July 8, 2022.

Disney is also delaying Indiana Jones 5 over a full year from July 9, 2021 to July 29, 2022.

By now, many of you have put a good amount of time into Animal Crossing: New Horizons. You’ve paid off your mortgage, transformed into a weird tarantula collector, and are now at a point of playing the game just for an hour or two each day. Chances are you are wondering what else you can play on your Switch. For some of you, Animal Crossing is your first Switch game. For others, it’s just the latest in a long string of adventures you’ve taken on this amazing hybrid system. No matter which of these camps you fall into, the Game Informer staff is offering a handful of game suggestions you may like. The selection offered is a mix of the Switch’s most celebrated games, along with little gems that may not have gotten the respect they truly deserve. These are personal picks from each staff member they feel will make everyone’s current situation during the pandemic a little better.

We hope everyone is healthy and safe. We’d love to hear how things are going in the comments section below, and also would like your help in giving Switch owners choices for new games to play. List those games in the comments with a description of why people should be paying attention to them. We’re going to get through this tough time, and games that keep us inside and occupied in fun ways will help us get there. Without further delay, here are the games:

While traveling through the Darkest Dungeon and its last several DLC packs is keeping us plenty busy until we hear more about Darkest Dungeon 2, Red Hook is giving players PVP for the first time in the dark gothic roguelike RPG.

In the Butcher's Circus, you can pit a team of 4 adventurers against other teams and see who rises to the top. All the action takes place in a special area, and you won't be putting your campaign groups at risk - you'll have different tools to build your player-vs-player pro team.

We weren't joking - The Butcher's Circus is coming in May!

Play intense PVP arena battles against your friends and enemies alike. Pick your party & loadout, and let the games begin!

Wishlist here: https://t.co/SHKqZiqbML pic.twitter.com/8pXVhOBUiO

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In another universe, fans of Ian Fleming's super spy would be only a week away from James Bond's first on-screen adventure since 2015. But unfortunately, we're not in that world but we can take solace in the fact that there are plenty of other, often hilarious, video game options for people to fill their time. Enter James Bond 007: Nightfire, an original story following Pierce Brosnan's Bond as he tries to save the world from nuclear destruction. Join Andrew Reiner, Brian Shea, and me as we try to conquer not only the nefarious ne'er-do-wells of Nightfire but the control scheme as well.

We went live earlier, but you can catch the full archive of the stream above. If you can't get enough of our live shows, remember to subscribe on YouTube, Twitch, Mixer, Twitter, and Facebook to get notified when we go live each week! Thanks and enjoy the show!

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On this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, Ben Reeves, Leo Vader, Brian Shea, and Dan Tack join me to chat about a ton of games, including Persona 5 Royal, Resident Evil 3, Sea of Stars, Gears Tactics, and Mount and Blade 2: Bannerlord. The big talker for the show is skill-based matchmaking (SBMM),  and we try to explain how it works and discuss how it affects your game for better or worse. We finish with the always-entertaining and enlightening community emails.

We do this week's show from our homes as we hunker down in quarantine, so please forgive us for any audio or video hiccups as we deliver content outside the studio.

Thanks for listening! Please make sure to leave feedback below, share the episode if you enjoyed it, and follow me @therealandymc to let me know what you think. 

Sony Interactive Entertainment has delayed the release of The Last of Us Part II by Naughty Dog, as well as Iron Man VR on PSVR until further notice due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

In a tweet to the community, Naughty Dog says it had finished the game and was fixing some final bugs in anticipation of a May 29 release.

The developer wants to "make sure everyone gets to play The Last of Us Part II around the same time," but logistical problems imposed by the current pandemic have prevented Naughty Dog and SIE from achieving that.

This could allude to the inability to coordinate the different physical versions of the game (it has four – standard, special, collector's, and elite), as well as the digital one, at the same time. However, neither the developer nor the publisher have specified as much.

Naughty Dog says it hopes the delay won't be long, and will update players when it has new information.

A message from us about the delay of The Last of Us Part II: pic.twitter.com/aGsSRfmJ8a

— Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) April 2, 2020

[Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment, Naughty Dog]

On April 7, a new lore event hits Apex Legends along with some big changes, the biggest of which being the permanent addition of duos to the game. During the event. players can take on dangerous monsters for a shot at high tier loot during matches, but of course other players and teams are going to be looking for a slice of that action, so the risk/reward element is high as you attempt to take down deadly prowlers in Bloodhound's Trials.

Check out more in the lore video below:

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As always, the new event comes with a smattering of new cosmetic rewards players can earn. You can learn more on the official site here. The event runs until April 21, so get tracking!

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Even with the massive expectations going in, Resident Evil 3 hits its mark and makes for an especially spooky time. With the game's release on Friday, fans still have burning questions they need answered – that's where we come in. Join Ben Reeves, the game's reviewer, Leo Vader, and me as we do our best to not get pulverized by the Nemesis and answer your questions about Resident Evil 3.

We went live earlier, but you can catch the full archive of the stream above. If you can't get enough of our live shows, remember to subscribe on YouTube, Twitch, Mixer, Twitter, and Facebook to get notified when we go live each week! Thanks and enjoy the show!

Chucklefish has made a name for itself with some high-quality releases, including Starbound and Wargroove, and is also known for having stepped in to complete publishing duties on the wildly popular Stardew Valley. The UK game studio had more recently made waves with its announcement of Witchbrook, which many observers have described as looking like a cross between Stardew Valley and the Harry Potter stories. After a good deal of enthusiasm around the initial announcement, Chucklefish has remained very quiet on the project for some months. The reason for that now seems clearer, as the game has seen a dramatic facelift, and is sporting a new isometric artstyle.

To get a sense of what’s changed, look at this previously released screen, which shows off the old art style.

Witchbrook, old artstyle

And now, take a look at these new screenshots, just releasing today.

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Like previous entries in the series, Animal Crossing: New Horizons locks all kinds of progress and events to the progression of real world time. Changing your Switch system clock is an incredibly easy way to circumvent this, but whether you SHOULD change it is a topic of much debate.

Please enjoy the video above where I talk through a few sides of the issue before laying down a moral verdict! For more Animal Crossing: New Horizons, watch our New Gameplay Today Live!

Balance is everything in multiplayer games, and pushing players to earn/buy new cards is a big part of games with loot boxes and microstransactions. Clash Royale checks both of those boxes, and for the game's 10th season, developer Supercell is removing a card to make room for another. Heal Spell, which debuted in 2017, will no longer be in decks in a few days.

Taking its place is a new card called Heal Spirit, which has the same movement speed, hit points, and general design as the ice spirit, but when it explodes, it delivers a powerful burst of healing. Supercell says it produces total healing of 181 percent, which is far more powerful than the Heal Spell.

The game's 10th season also brings a new tower skin, emotes, and arena. To learn more about how the Heal Spirit came online, check out Supercell's fun announcement video.

Instead of trying to trick you with pretend news, we here at Game Informer use April Fools' Day as an opportunity to share obviously and admittedly false stories through our annual Game Infarcer feature. Our 2020 edition is filled with a new array of completely made-up content, including a gorgeous Goose of Tsushima cover illustration by Zander Cannon. 

You can read the full feature below! Though I should note: That fake quote about E3 went to print after many major companies had dropped out, but before the event was canceled entirely. Anyway, if you want even more irreverent and totally fabricated gaming journalism, you can also read the previous editions of Game Infarcer from 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016.

Red Dead Redemption II developer Rockstar Games has announced that starting today through the end of May, it is donating five percent of in-game transactions in Red Dead Online and GTA Online to help small businesses and communities deal with COVID-19.

The tweet announcing the campaign says it will distribute aid "both directly and by supporting some of the amazing organizations who are on the ground."

Rockstar says that more details regarding the initiative are coming in the future.

[Source: Rockstar Games]

With the news of Trails of Cold Steel IV making its way to North America very soon, we also had the opportunity to do a quick Q&A with Nihon Falcom president and producer Toshihiro Kondo. Kondo was candid about how the team went all-out to close out the Trails of Cold Steel arc, giving hints and confirmations about various aspects of the arc’s end. As we all know by now, anything is possible when it comes to this series. 

[Editor's Note: This interview contains light spoilers for Trails of Cold Steel III]

Cold Steel III had a somber ending; what can we expect from Rean and his cohorts and the challenges they face this time around?

You might be able to imagine due to III’s ending, but IV opens with Rean being separated from his companions. It is similar to II, but the Erebonian Empire is once again making a push towards war and Rean’s companions’ circumstances are even more severe. I think you can tell from the characters’ clothing in the game’s key visual that they are not able to continue their lives as students. Things are escalating quicker than ever before.

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The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV is finally hitting our shores, and we got all the first details on what you can expect along with an announcement trailer (above) and screenshots.  

Nihon Falcom’s Trails of Cold Steel series has made a name for itself with its detailed world, colorful characters, and impressive turn-based combat. For three entries, we’ve followed protagonist Rean Schwarzer as he’s gone from a student to a professor amid plenty of political turmoil and shocking revelations. This is the final entry in the Trails of Cold Steel arc, and due to events in the previous entry, will not have its standard student-life setting.

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Marvel Strike Force launched on iOS and Android two years ago, and while it has evolved in myriad ways since launch, every mode features similar gameplay where you take on A.I.-controlled teams.

For the third year of FoxNext's licensed RPG, the studio is implementing player-versus-player combat through VS. Battle mode. I spoke with creative director Jason Bender and game director Jonathan Durr to learn more about this new feature, as well as what to expect in the coming year of Marvel Strike Force.

No Man Can Win Every Battle

Up to this point in the lifecycle of Marvel Strike Force, players have only had the option to take on A.I.-controlled opponents. While this has been a serviceable option so far, the A.I. in Marvel Strike Force always operates in patterned ways, simply choosing the most powerful attack available to the character at that time (with few exceptions), and often not focusing or coordinating on a single target.

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With Resident Evil 3, Final Fantasy 7, and the rumor mill spinning about the return of the 3D Mario games, 2020 appears to be the year of classics taking the modern stage. The same goes for Infinity Ward's controversial, yet beloved, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 campaign. Join us as we examine how the classic tale of modern military might has aged with a new coat of paint.

We went live earlier, but you can catch the full archive above. If you can't get enough of our live shows, remember to subscribe on YouTube, Twitch, Mixer, Twitter, and Facebook to get notified when we go live each week! Thanks and enjoy the show!

COVID-19's impact on the game industry pushes another game date back, as InXile's Wasteland 3 has been pushed to August 28 (Be sure to check out an awesome feature on Wasteland 3 in the current issue of Game Informer!}. Studio head Brian Fargo issued a statement via Twitter, commenting that a shift to work-from-home procedures had impacted development. Wasteland 3 was previously expected to land on May 19 on PC, Xbox One, and PS4.

We have an important update on Wasteland 3’s release date. pic.twitter.com/hiX1CygcUk

— Wasteland ☢️ (@Wasteland) March 31, 2020

Delays due to a rapidly changing world are becoming commonplace, and I'm looking forward to sliding around an ice-cold Denver when Wasteland arrives. And hanging out with robo-Reagan, he's a cool president.

One of the most revered campaigns in the Call of Duty series is back in remastered form, with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign being released today on PlayStation 4 - coming to other platforms a little later. Infinity Ward's title has been remastered by Beenox with new visuals, improved animations, audio enhancements, and supports up to 4K resolution (and will have uncapped framerate when it arrives on PC!).

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Even if you haven't thought much of some CoD campaigns (Don't sleep on Infinite Warfare!), Modern Warfare 2 is one of the iconic ones, featuring memorable characters and missions and of course, the infamous "No Russian" level.

Players that purchase the remaster also get some cosmetics that they can use in Modern Warfare and Warzone.

With unprecedented measures currently being taken to ensure public health, much of the world is locked down in their homes, asked by government officials to be judicious about when they venture out. While it's important to balance any hobby, gaming is one that not only often asks you to stay in your home, but is also adaptable to a diverse array of needs. We've compiled a list of some of the Game Informer staff's recommendations for gaming during this time based on various situations and needs.

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Delightful Distractions

The outside world is pretty heavy right now, so here are a few games that are joyful experiences from start to finish.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch)

The Animal Crossing series has always been a bastion of wholesomeness in Nintendo's library, but the recently released entry serves as the perfect staycation for anyone hoping for a soothing gaming experience during these troubled times. It's also a great way to connect with friends who are also tending to islands of their own. Read the review.